Fly over Naples in a historic plane from Johnny Depp film

Florida Vacation Guide to taking flight in The Tin Goose

You know the famous ending of the film Casablanca? The whole final scene of that movie takes place in front of a Ford Tri-Motor Plane.

There are only 26 or 27 of these types of planes still in existence today and most of them spend their final days in museums. A mere handful are actually still taking flight. However, one of those planes is in Florida this month offering sightseers a chance to do something that only a few people alive today have done – to take a ride in a 1929 Ford Tri-Motor airplane.

If you’re a lover of nostalgia, an aviation enthusiast, a Johnny Depp fan or just a Fan Of Really Cool Stuff, you can get a ride on The Tin Goose in Naples now through Monday before it moves on to Fort Lauderdale and other spots in Florida.

Iconic Tin Goose is a Celebrity Airplane

The Tin Goose was one of the first Ford Tri-Motor airplanes used for commercial passenger flights. It was the first plane reliable and safe enough for people to pay money to fly in.

It was also used in the Jerry Lewis movie “Family Jewels” and Johnny Depp film “Public Enemies.”

The Tin Goose was used as Dominican Republic’s “Air Force One”

In the Midwest it was used as a crop duster

In Idaho it was a smoke jumper

The plane was wrecked in 1973 during a windstorm. At that point the plane was purchased by EAA, restored and it started flying again in 1985.

Ryan Frost, Director of Operators at the Naples Municipal Airport where The Tin Goose is right now, says, “the opportunity to see the plane in person is rare. Flying in one is even more rare. I’ve worked in aviation for 20 years and I’ve never seen one.”

How fast does this relic go?

Frost jokes, “Old-fashioned Volkswagen Beetles are faster.”

The Tin Goose’s liftoff speed is 40mph and its top speed is roughly 100mph. Some say the slow speed makes the flights that much more enjoyable.

For information about where and when you can walk on to The Tin Goose for a ride, and to see upcoming stops on The Tin Goose’s tour, click here.

Tell us…

Would you take the opportunity to take a ride on an artifact like The Tin Goose?